02/22/2013

Conserving corals by understanding their genes

In reef-building corals variations within genes involved in immunity
and response to stress correlate to water temperature and clarity, finds
a study published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Genetics.
This information could be used to conserve or rebuild reefs in areas
affected by climate change, by changes in extreme weather patterns,
increasing sedimentation or altered land use.

SNPs which correlated to water clarity and water temperature
preferred by cauliflower coral were found in genes involved in providing
immune response, and regulating stress-induced cell-death. This means
that coral with a specific version of these genes tended to grow at
higher temperatures (or water clarity) and another variant at lower. A
similar story was found for staghorn coral - SNP in genes involved in
detoxification, immune response, and defense against reactive oxygen
damage, were found to be associated with temperature or to water
clarity.

Dr Petra Lundgren, from The Australian Institute of Marine Science,
explained, "Corals are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Not
only is the temperature of the water they live in affected but extreme
weather and higher rainfall leads to increased levels of sediment,
agricultural runoff, and fresh water on the reef. This work opens up
possibilities for us to enhance reef resilience and recovery from
impacts of climate change and pollution. For example, if in the future
we need to restore coral populations, we can make sure that we use the
most robust strains of corals to do so."